THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS |
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J. Deering, AncientPath.net
REVIEW
Our Condensed Outline to Date:
GOD' SPECIAL SECRET
I. CHAPTER 1 - The Church AS The Body of Christ
II. CHAPTER 2 - The Church AS The Temple of Christ
III. C HAPTER 3 - The Church AS God's Top Secret
A. The Description
of the Original Gift of the Secret 3:1-5
B. The Definition of the Revealed Secret 3:6-13
The first 13 verses of Ephesians 3 demonstrate some
ideas that Paul wants believers to grasp and place into their hearts.
THE STUDY, 3:14a
GOD' SPECIAL SECRET
I. CHAPTER 1 - The Church AS The Body of Christ
II. CHAPTER 2 - The Church AS The Temple of Christ
III. C HAPTER 3 - The Church AS God's Top Secret
A.
The Description of the Original Gift of the Secret 3:1-5
B. The Definition
of the Revealed Secret 3:6-13
C.
The Dynamic of the Open Sacred Secret 3:14-21
1. Basic Statement of the Father's Control 3:14-15
a). The Cause Resident in the Long-Concealed Secret 3:14
3:14a [Mac]
For
This cause
3:14 [NASB]
For
This reason
COMMENTARY
Paul was a man of prayer. He prayed over each and every church, and believer in each church. We would do well to take note of the content of His prayers. “The whole passage is often referred to as Paul’s second prayer in Ephesians. The first was 1:5-23.” [i]
THE STUDY, 3:14b
GOD' SPECIAL SECRET
I. CHAPTER 1 - The Church AS The Body of Christ
II. CHAPTER 2 - The Church AS The Temple of Christ
III. C HAPTER 3 - The Church AS God's Top Secret
A.
The Description of the Original Gift of the Secret 3:1-5
B. The Definition
of the Revealed Secret 3:6-13
C.
The Dynamic of the Open Sacred Secret 3:14-21
1. Basic Statement of the Father's Control 3:14-15
a). The Cause Resident in the Long-Concealed Secret 3:14
b).
The Attitude of the
Dispensing Steward 3:14b
3:14a [Mac]
I
bend my knees
toward the Father,
3:14 [NASB]
I
bend my knees
before the Father,
COMMENTARY
Back before the foundation of all of creation God, Father, Son, and Spirit,
planned to create a people upon this earth who would honor His son. Part of
this plan fell upon the shoulders of this Jewish radical who had persecuted
God’s Son disbelieving who He was. When it was revealed to him, he
completely changed his life and became refocused upon bringing the revealed
gospel to the “Gentiles,” the other nations of the world.
The
heading for this verse is “the Attitude of the Dispensing Steward.” This
title is not referring to Jesus or His heavenly Father. It is referring to
Paul.
His love of Jesus and
the gospel was so forceful that it became a great burden to him and it is
his love of those around him (saved and unsaved) that makes up this
“attitude.”
Because of this burden, Paul became a man of prayer – for the people of
these nations’ need to respond to the grace of God – and believe in God’s
crucified Son, who was crucified on their behalf.
In order to properly understand this part of the
verse I need you to imagine yourself, so loving an individual who does not
know or understand the gospel that you become burdened with the desire to
do anything you can to bring that individual to Christ – perhaps an unsaved
brother, sister, mom, dad, wife, or husband. Now consider Paul and his
burden to the church of Ephesus, and further, the churches of Anatolia,
even further, the world.
Now
picture yourself with that burden on your shoulders and standing before
Almighty God – what would that feel like? Paul says, "I
bend my knees
toward the Father.” MacCorkle says, speaking of
Paul’s first words, “I bend my knees, does not indicate a ceremonial
posture [like the NASB looks like] but a back bending spiritual load of
responsibility for the dispenser of the open sacred secret to a
dispensation’s people who are unavoidably and completely illiterate about
it.”
[ii]
There is Paul, standing with the enormous weight upon his shoulders in a
spiritual face-to-face with God, with his legs bowed wide from that weight
– there Paul is bringing this burden to His loving heavenly Father – on
behalf of those he is burdened for.
THE STUDY, 3:15
GOD' SPECIAL SECRET
I. CHAPTER 1 - The Church AS The Body of Christ
II. CHAPTER 2 - The Church AS The Temple of Christ
III. C HAPTER 3 - The Church AS God's Top Secret
A.
The Description of the Original Gift of the Secret 3:1-5
B. The Definition
of the Revealed Secret 3:6-13
C.
The Dynamic of the Open Sacred Secret 3:14-21
1. Basic Statement of the Father's Control 3:14-15
a). The Cause Resident in the Long-Concealed Secret 3:14
b). The Attitude of the Dispensing Steward 3:14b
c). The Jourisdiction of the Father 3:15
3:15 [Mac]
From whom
Every Family
In heaven and
on earth
is named.
3:15 [NASB]
It is not
usual that people put verse 14 and 15 together, so let me take the last two
words from verse 14 and add them here.
“The Father, from whom every
family in heaven and on earth is named.” He is the Father of the world of
men and women. He is the Father of all of heaven and it’s contents. He has
revealed Himself as “Father.” He describes Himself as loving, kind,
graceful, forgiving, redeeming, justifying, and so many wonderful good
things – as He reveals himself to all of mankind. He reveals Himself as
“Our Father.” I have no knowledge of, read about, heard about, any such
other “god” in the universe. This God is revealed to all as a loving
Father.
He has
created it all. He is all powerful. He reveals Himself to mankind in His
Word as our loving Father. I learned a very long time ago that… While God
loves everyone, the choice to accept or reject that love is considered to
be in the individual’s hands. “No man (woman, child) goes to Hell unloved,
only unsaved by their own choice.”
The unity
of the family of God – here on earth is another idea to consider when
considering a loving heavenly Father. We as believers are taught by God’s
Word, and encouraged by God’s Holy Spirit, to love one another as we are
loved by our heavenly Father. That love is tailor made to bind us together,
one believer to every other, in such a way as to love each other as we are
loved by Him.
THE STUDY, 3:16a
GOD' SPECIAL SECRET
I. CHAPTER 1 - The Church AS The Body of Christ
II. CHAPTER 2 - The Church AS The Temple of Christ
III. C HAPTER 3 - The Church AS God's Top Secret
A.
The Description of the Original Gift of the Secret 3:1-5
B. The Definition
of the Revealed Secret 3:6-13
C.
The Dynamic of the Open Sacred Secret 3:14-21
1.
Basic Statement of the Father's Control
3:14-15
2. The Basic Holy Spirit Dynamism in The Inner Man, 3:16-17
a. A
Legitimate Object of Intercessory Prayer, 3:16a
3:16a [Mac]
I Pray
MacCorkle
adds these two words to clarify the meaning of this part of the verse as
this part of the chapter deals with Paul and His prayer. This verse
introduces us to Paul’s petitions of his prayers that will be defined
further in vss. 16-19.
I hear
“pray, prayer, intercession,” and a lot of other prayer based words in my
Christian church family. But prayer is so much better defined when we use
the terms “I pray, or I pray that…”
THE
STUDY, 3:16b
That
He might cause
You all
To be strengthened
With power
COMMENTARY
By
Means of
His Spirit’s operation
3:16c [NASB]
through His
Spirit
COMMENTARY
How the Holy Spirit exercises His power upon both
unbelievers and believers.
In the case of the unbeliever, the Holy Spirit of God
can come upon them in order to influence their actions. He can come upon them to
encourage belief and faith. He may visit an individual many times over a
lifetime in His efforts to persuade the unbeliever to secure biblical knowledge
or develop a relationship with a believer that may bring forth true belief and
faith. He is not required to “dwell” with an unbeliever. He comes and goes at
will.
In the case of the one who believes, He may have already
visited many times – or even just a few times – until the visited person has
begun to believe the information that is revealed to him. It then becomes a more
often visit which results in belief becoming faith. Then it is the function of
God’s Holy Spirit, upon that established belief and faith, to “indwell,” to set
up residence within the human body and mind. In the Old Testament God would
dwell with His people – in a physical tabernacle or temple. With the death,
resurrection, and ascension, God’s Holy Spirit comes to “Dwell” within the
bodies of God’s chosen believing people. We become His residence here on earth.
THE
STUDY, 3:16d
3:16d [Mac]
In
The Inner Man
All in
A manner
Equal to the wealth
Of His Glory –
3:16d [NASB]
in the inner man;
COMMENTARY
You will notice that MacCorkle extends his translation in this last part of this verse. Yes the Holy Spirit comes upon us, helps us to believe God’s Word, helps us to see the truth about Jesus the Son of God. It’s then up to us to say “Yes” or “no” to this opportunity granted to each of us to become members of God’s household, as His children. MacCorkle wants us to understand the amazing excellent value of God’s offer through the work of the Holy Spirit, in bringing you the opportunity to “Believe” and have “Faith” in God’s Son Jesus. God Almighty, the creator of the universe (More than 100 billion stars in our galaxy, more galaxies than stars in our galaxy) offers you the opportunity to be His son or daughter. And to continue in that relationship in His household… for eternity! It’s not that you’re so wonderful, it is that He is so wonderful – What He has done for the believer is done in “A manner Equal to the wealth of His Glory! MacCorkle closes out his commentary on verse 16 saying that instead of visualizing Christ with a halo around His head, “We should see a three fold (3x3) divine Brilliance of Intellect, Emotions, and Will… also considering His Glory, Love, and Power” [iv]
THE
STUDY, 3:17a
3:17a [Mac]
So that Christ
May develop His home
In your hearts
Through faith
3:17a [NASB]
so that
Christ may dwell
in your
hearts
through faith;
COMMENTARY
Because of his
special ministry, he feels specially led to pray for them. As you review these
verses keep your eyes open for these things:
1.
The cause for his;
prayer 14-15
2.
The petitions of his
prayer 16-19
to appropriate what is theirs in Christ,
16
That Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith,
17a
That Positionally
He does dwell in our hearts - but what beggars we often are, though all the
riches of heaven are at our command! So, don’t miss the opportunity to have God
dwelling in your physical body, and the love of Jesus the Christ dwelling in
your heart. Don’t forget that experiencing His loving presence is a matter of
definite appropriation by faith. Simply put, continue to seek the love and power
He offers and appropriate it to do His commands.
We are to recognize His residence in us, a daily miracle and joy. We are to make
Him feel "at home" in our hearts.
That they may be
able to apprehend the fullness of Christ's love 17b-19a
THE
STUDY, 3:17b
As you
Stand
rooted and
grounded
in Godly love.
3:17b [NASB]
and that
you,
being rooted and
grounded
in love,
COMMENTARY
The
believer’s Love of Christ is what should drive you into and through personal
ministry for Him. This may come quickly, or it may take years to develop, but He
has work for you to do – and it should be His love for you that motivates you to
love Him in return by responding and doing His desires for your life inside and
outside your church family. There is a whole world out there that needs what you
may have for them. Seeing that YOU are continually being rooted and grounded in
His Love… He should be seeing YOU respond in the manner in which He develops you
to minister to, and for, others.
THE
STUDY, 3:18a
3:18a [Mac]
The purpose is:
First, that you,
With all set apart people,
Might be strong enough
3:18a [NASB]
may be able to comprehend
with all the saints
COMMENTARY
This is only
part of verse 18. It is separated so that you would see that, like all things in
our human world, doing it right requires comprehension, knowledge, and hard
work.
For many
years I worked in the technical field of television production. As an
administrator I was required to “keep up” with hundreds of technical details and
the equipment that contained those details. It seemed that every day something
new entered my field of work and I became responsible for knowing how to use it
and teach others how to do the same.
Our Spiritual
lives require the same “keeping up” with the Word of God, “keeping up” with the
lives of those around me where prayer and action were needed. I’ve been witness
to thousands of Christians who come to church on Sunday morning… and that is the
end of their participation in the world of Faith in Jesus. Many are so focused
in using their minds, powers, resources, etc., for their work or social
positions that they neglect their spiritual responsibilities to themselves,
their families, and those around them – Don’t let that be you. Take what Jesus,
the Holy Spirit, and God the Father have freely given to you… go to waste. Read,
Study, Learn and put it to use among other believers, friends and family, the
world around you. Honor what God has done for you… by doing His work every day.
Yielding your
power to the power of God will bring strong change in your life and you will be
honoring Almighty God, bringing Him Glory for doing His will.
THE
STUDY, 3:18b
3:18b [Mac]
To grasp for
yourself
COMMENTARY
Yes, Your
part in all this. “To grasp for yourself,” MacCorkle says. Our outline says that
you, the believer, “Need to be Strong.” This world can be a terrible place. Oh
yes, there are wonderful moments, but over a lifetime there is trouble,
dishonor, rule bending and breaking, penalties, sickness, heartbreak, and
certain death. Paul tells the Ephesians that His suffering is to be considered
Glory for them. Their suffering will bring Glory to God, because of their faith
in Him in both the short and long run of their lives. That’s true in our lives
as well.
Use the
strength of your will for the things of God. Grasp your love of God, and His
love for you, and plow through the fields of this trouble world – in order to
plant and water faith and belief, and bring forth multiplying yields of belief
and action.
THE
STUDY, 3:18c
3:18c [Mac]
To grasp for
yourself
What is the
Breadth,
Lenght,
Dept, and
Height.
3:18b [NASB]
what is the
breadth
COMMENTARY
The Four Dimensions of God’s Grace.
As we
consider God’s Grace we’ll start off by saying that it is, after all, grace that
saves, sanctifies, and glorifies a believer and the Church to which he belongs.
I love the age-old acrostic – GRACE - God’s Riches at Christ’s
Expense. The Son of God’s voluntary willingness to follow the desires of
His Father in acquiring a human family as His other children. This Son loved His
Father so much, that He would go through the earthly process of birth to death
in order to accomplish this for His Father.
The end
result is grace for the one who chooses to believe. Because of what Christ has
done for His Father, the Father gives positional sonship to every believer, a
full inheritance, and a guarantee that their end would be as His children,
living in His heaven, for His eternity.
Find it hard
to grasp? All are expected to grasp grace – And all are expected to be
strengthened by God in order to grasp His Grace.
As we look at
these four dimensions of grace, we must first understand that they are
supra-human dimensions. Chapter 3 has been proclaiming the “Open Sacred Secret,”
The newly established Body of believers, “The Body of Christ,” better known to
most as “The Church.” The Universal church – the world wide collection of those
who believe by faith. It is this “Body” that have been endowed with the gifts of
God’s Holy Spirit who works in each believer to understand God’s Word and ways.
Grace, is made up our of God’s Love transferred into our lives as Faith, Hope, and Love. So, here are the four dimensions of God’s Grace direct from MacCorkle’s book.[i]
Like Romans 6:1-10 – not a thing are we asked to do
until… the basic operation has been done by Another. Positional truth is what
Bible doctrine states God has done for us and from which we must get caught up
by growing in grace, 2 Peter 3:18. It is the broad base of all operations by
God and by us. This is a major part of the
secret of the Lord. This dimension
assures us of a solid and sure footing.
Like Philippians 3:9ff. We need to ask how many
horsepower we have under our spiritual hoods. The answer is, “How long a trip
are you taking?” and “How rugged is the territory you will travel through?” A
long view signifies a full vision of where major things are going, without which
vision people perish. A long vision sees the whole and looks for the parts to
fall into place. This is a major part of the
secret of the Lord. This
dimension assures us of spiritual shoes that will not wear out.
Like Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 5;16-17. A deep life is
measured by its new spiritual dirves. It avoids being shallow or superficial.
Someone has said, “A lot of trees, yesterday, decided
to dig deeper that they might live longer.” This is a major part of the
secret of the Lord. This dimension
assures us of spiritual roots that go to the heart of God’s Things.
Like Ephesians 2:6ff. The reasons for the fourth
dimention is explained by 2:6, we were reaised up to sit together in the
heavenlies in Christ. This is life above the clouds, not in them, and not under
them. This is rarefied spiritual atmosphere.
This dimension assures us of a vantage point that
becomes an advantage point, giving us God’s perspective of everything.
Or we may look at it experientially this way:
A really Christian life is not meant to be only deep or
merely long; but it is meant to be a balanced dimensional experience of all that
is in the grace of God. God’s goal in us is that we might be made mature and
complete, James 1:4.
THE
STUDY, 3:19a
3:19a [Mac]
Second,
That you all
might come to experience
the knowledge-excelling love
of Christ for us.
3:19a [NASB]
and
to know the LOVE of Christ
COMMENTARY
The Mac translation is amazing for us. Verse 18 says:
The purposes (of God’s grace upon you)
are 1) that
you, with all the set apart people, might be strong enough to
grasp for yourself what is the breath, length, depth, and height… of it. and
2) Verse 19 says: that
you all might come to experience
the knowledge – excelling love of Christ for us. And
3) that you might be
filled up to all the fullness God provides.
Just think of
all the things that you have knowledge of – everything you have ever known or
ever will know, and then compare it
to the knowledge that God’s love
excels every bit of knowledge that is in your, or ever available to you on this
earth in your lifetime.
Verses 16-19
give us God’s intended results in Christ.
1) The intention that the riches of His glory might strengthen all
believers. 2) The intention that
Christ’s indwelling might develop all believers’ hearts.
3) Well, that’s the next part of this verse…
THE
STUDY, 3:19b
3:19b [Mac]
Third,
That
you all might be
Filled up to all the fulness
God provides
3:19b [NASB]
that
you
may be filled up
to all the
fulness
of God.
COMMENTARY
3)
The intention that all believers might be filled up to the fullness
of God.
Do you remember
your first love – how filled you were? Learn to fill your heart like that with
Him. The end result of allowing yourself to know and be filled up with God’s
love… is that you might be filled up to the fullness of God.
THE
STUDY, 3:20
3:20 [Mac]
Now to
Him
Who is able to work
in a way that is beyond all measurement,
even far beyond everything
we
ask or
consider asking,
in keeping with His power
which operates among us,
3:20 [NASB]
Now
to Him
Who is
able
to do
exceeding
abundantly
beyond all
that we
ask or think,
according
to the
power
that works
within us,
(the holy Spirit).
COMMENTARY
This is obviously on of the greatest benedictions in the
bible.
Now to Him Who is able (that is beyond all measurement!)
(beyond our every thought… ever!).
He
is our
Father.
His Spirit is our Power.
His Son is
our voluntary and
willing savior and brother.
Paul’s knowledge of these three persons and their plan
of the ages prays that you and I, all believers, might be
filled up to all the fullness God can
provide.
“Beyond all measurement” says it all!
You are a part of His purposes in you – He is unlimited
in His ability.
THE
STUDY, 3:21
3:21 [Mac]
To Him
be the glory
in the Church and
in Christ Jesus
into all the generations of eternity. Amen
3:21 [NASB]
to Him
COMMENTARY
To God the Father be all the Glory. This has been the
thrust for the whole book of Ephesians so far. We can see His administrations
where He is the Father, His Son which we know now as Jesus, co-eternal shows us
the Love which His Father showed in Him, and then the Love His Father showed
through Him to us. And His third person The Spirit of God we know as His Power
and Communication. The Scriptures call upon us to bring praise and Glory to each
one, but when it comes to the plan and development of the Church as the New Body
of Christ – all praise and Glory belongs to The Father.
This last verse in chapter 3 calls upon the Church which
is in and through Jesus Christ to be those who should be constantly praising and
glorifying God the Father for all ages to come, and that glory is to be shared
with Jesus Christ and done so through the power of The Holy Spirit of God.
Learn to focus upon giving Him “Glory.”
HOMEWORK: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 3:14-21 |
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[i]
MacCorkle, Douglas, God’s Special Secret, MBM Books, Cocoa Beach, Florida
1993, p. 134
[ii]
Ibid.
[iii]
Ibid. p. 135
[iv] Ibid. p. 137 (edited for length)
[v]
Ibid. p. 139 (edited)